USA Men’s Ice Hockey Team Wins Gold at the Olympics
On Sunday morning, while most of Los Angeles was still asleep, O’Brien’s Irish Pub was already lively. The Santa Monica favorite opened up at 5 a.m. to a spirited, bleary-eyed crowd of hockey enthusiasts who gathered to watch the men’s ice hockey gold medal match during the Winter Olympics.
It was an emotional game that wrapped up the Milan-Cortina Olympics, where the United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. A chant of “USA!” filled the pub, echoing the surprise of the victory.
One fan expressed how electric the atmosphere was, saying, “It’s just incredible. You can’t beat this. It was uplifting, full of energy. Definitely something I’ll never forget.”
Another enthusiastic supporter, proudly waving an American flag, remarked, “I knew we could win. I was aiming for the gold the whole time. Okay, maybe I got a little anxious towards the end, but I got the gold!”
Then there was a man in a New York Islanders hat who shared, “It’s heartbreaking. There’s a Rangers fan next to me, but I’m an Islanders fan. I can’t stand him, yet today we’re all united under this roof. Thanks, O’Brien!”
This thrilling win marked Team USA’s 12th gold medal at the games, pushing its total medal count this year to 33.
As excitement peaked, another fan shared, “It’s great spending time with the people I love.”
One woman admitted, “I almost cried. I felt chills everywhere. It was amazing, just fantastic.”
Another added, “You can’t make this up. These are the moments you live for. A special place, a special time, a special team. That was our moment.”
The celebration wasn’t just limited to Santa Monica. Over on the East Coast, New Yorkers were also rising early to join in on the fun, heading to bars across the city.
Evan DeCastro humorously noted, “It’s way better than what I had planned for last night.” He joked about rescheduling a date just to catch the game.
Ken Greisman, a local New Yorker in the crowd at Blue Haven, quipped, “Who cares about grocery shopping for two feet of snow?”
As the Winter Olympics wind down, the United States heads home with the ultimate accolade—many hockey fans in Santa Monica, and beyond, shared the joy of their team’s historic win.
